Christmas

Jesus came! To save us!

These last few weeks thinking about the coming birth of Jesus have been great! I have enjoyed putting more into thinking about His birth and what that meant/means to me in my life. Ashley and I read through an advent book by John Piper, Good News of Great Joy, each day since December 2. This helped us start off our days thinking about Jesus and His coming. We really enjoyed the readings and doing them together as a family. This year was the first time we, as a couple, have done an advent something each day leading up to Christmas. I felt it was a great way to 'force' us to think about Jesus and not allow ourselves to get caught up in ourselves and parties and gifts.

Yesterday was a pretty quiet day (except for the fireworks - a tradition in Honduras). It was very nice. We were able to sleep in and spend quality time together (this included Lyssa, the intern who is currently living with us). We opened some presents and made a delicious meal - all together. It was a good time.

We really missed being with our families, but we know that our home is now here in Honduras and that the Lord has a plan for us here. We did get a chance to talk or skype with much of our family in the past few days.

Our 'fireplace'

Ritmo & his Christmas futbol

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 

One Year

On December 13, 2011, we arrived in La Ceiba, Honduras to begin the next phase of our life. About two and a half years after our first trip here, God had brought us back to live and serve full-time.

Ashley with our bags outside of the airport the day we arrived

One year later we are still here and loving it! Wow, this past year has flown by. Below are a few thoughts and some pictures from this past year.

God will always provide what we need (and often more than we could ask for or imagine). We have seen our Lord provide in so many ways this past year - in relationships, financially, a place to live, an awesome team, time with friends and family when we needed it.

Our first medical clinic in La Fe

Our puppy, Ritmo

God is good!

We live in a beautiful place! The area surrounding La Ceiba is filled with amazing places. The beach is just a few minutes away, as are waterfalls in the mountains.

Ashley's brother Chris was loved and is missed.

FUTBOL!

Both Ashley and I absolutely love living and serving in Honduras. We miss so many friends and family, but are certain that we are exactly where the Lord wants us to be.

Thank you for you love and support over this past year!

Teaching at Gringo Church

Every Sunday our team gets together for a worship service in English. We feel it is important to have the opportunity to worship our Savior in our heart language.

We sing, pray, and study God's Word. For the last month or so I have been teaching through Philippians. It has been such a great opportunity for me to dig into this letter and study what Paul was writing and how it applies to us. I have enjoyed the preparation because it 'forces' me to study hard, read what others have written, and listen to sermons so that I can articulate what the passage is saying.

As I prepare to teach each week I am thankful that it is not my skill or intelligence or way with words that will cause anyone to learn, but that it is the work of the Holy Spirit. So far, we have looked at the first chapter and about half of the second.

I have always heard from pastors that they learn WAY more than anyone in the congregation when they preach because of all the work it takes to prepare a sermon. Now I understand this a little bit.

School Supplies

It is that time of year again. The school year here in Honduras starts in February and ends in November. So, we are looking to get school supplies to give out before the start of the 2013 school year. 

Our whole team is working together to gather supplies for all of the ministries that we are involved in. We would like you to prayerfully consider providing school supplies for the kids in La Ceiba. Please purchase school supplies and mail them to this address by December 31, 2012:

Mike & Erin Pettengill

P.O. Box 1090

La Ceiba, Atlantida

Honduras

Central America

Let us know if you would rather send money and our team can purchase the supplies in Honduras.

Prayer

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

This is just one occasion in the Bible where we are called to pray to our Father. Our sending organization, Mission to the World, is emphasizing prayer for world missions this month. They have created a prayer calendar (here) to help people pray for ministries and missionaries all over the world! We think this is an incredible idea, so we have decided to share with you ways in which you can pray for God's work through us in Honduras.

Mike will be tweeting out (it also goes to facebook) a praise or prayer request each day. We ask you to take a few minutes when you see these messages to lift up the work the Lord is doing in La Ceiba, Honduras.

Follow Mike on Twitter - @MichaelTroxell or friend him on Facebook

Residents of Honduras

Yesterday Ashley and I officially became residents of Honduras!

About 3 months ago, we started the process to become residents. We weren't sure what to expect and how long it would take. Our lawyer told us it would not be too difficult and shouldn't take much time, but we were not very optimistic about this because we have seen how things work here in Honduras, especially with the government. We were pleasantly surprised with the ease and speed of the whole process. We should receive our carnets in about a month.

Yesterday we took a LONG trip to Tegucigalpa (the capital of Honduras) in order to sign papers. We left at 3 am and got back home at about 10 pm. It was a long day in the car, but we did what we needed to do.

Being residents will help us in a few ways in our ministry and regular life here. We have many more rights and we do not have to leave the country every three months in order to obtain a new visa. This will help from having the interruptions in ministries that came in the past when we had to leave in order to remain legal.

We are so thankful to the Lord for opening these doors to us! We have now been in Honduras for a little over 10 months and are excited about what the Lord is doing here. It is amazing that He gives us a front-row seat to His ministry to the people of Honduras!

Time with Gerson

Yesterday I was able to spend some time with Gerson, as I have been able to a lot in the last two months. He is 14 years old. I was talking with him yesterday and he told me he goes to church every Saturday and Sunday evening - by himself. He says he enjoys church and reading the Bible and talking about Jesus. So, I asked if we could meet regularly and study the Bible. He said that he would love it! So, I was able to set up a time that should work for both of us each week to read the Bible and talk about what God is saying.

I have been able to talk with Gerson a bunch in the last few months about life and God and soccer (of course), but this is what I was really hoping and praying for! God is awesome!

Keeping Busy

This week Ashley and I are in Florida for a missions conference at Wellington Presbyterian Church. Sunday was a busy day for us as we had multiple venues in which we shared.

We were able to speak to the adult Sunday school class and share with them about our call to missions and what the Lord is doing in us and through us in Honduras. Then, during the worship service, Ashley led Kid's World - the children's portion of the conference. Also, at the end of the worship service we were interviewed by one of the pastors in front of the whole congregation. In the evening, Ashley taught the kids again and lastly we talked to the youth group about the hard things we face as missionaries. 

On Monday morning, both Ashley and I had the chance to speak to students at Wellington Christian School. We have been made available during the school days this week in order to share with the students - many of whom do not know anything about overseas missions. 

Tomorrow we will continue with speaking in the school during the day and will be spending the evening with two of the life groups of the church. 

So far, the conference has given us many opportunities to share about the exciting ministries we get to be a part of in Honduras. We are also getting the chance to get to know many of the people of Wellington Presbyterian Church.

Concert

Ashley has met with both Marla and Heysol a few times individually in order to start to mentor them. Both of these girls are in high school and come from families that regularly attend church. Both are eager to study English and Ashley is helping them both as part of her time with them.

Gerson is in sixth grade. Kind of... The school that had been meeting in La Fe has stopped getting together. We aren't sure exactly why, but is seems as though the volunteer teacher has better things to do. It has been almost three months since the school has had regular classes. Gerson really wants to finish sixth grade so that next year he can go to high school. I have been able to get together with him a few times to 'tutor' him especially in math. In addition to working on math, I am able to talk with Gerson about life and his beliefs and what he thinks is important.

A ticket to the Concert.

Last night the church we attend had a big outreach concert. Ashley and I took Gerson, Heysol, and Marla with us and they each loved it. Our church just finished a sermon series on the 'super heros' of the Bible, so they used the super hero theme for the concert. They played music and had fun drama with Superman, Spiderman, and Batman and, most importantly, they had a clear presentation of the Gospel. We are so glad that we were able to go and support our church and that these three teenagers could hear the Gospel!

End of Summer

Our summer-team season is now over. Actually, it was over about 2 weeks ago, but I haven't blogged about it. The last church that came to serve in La Fe was Peace Presbyterian Church from Cary, NC. This is the home church of our teammate Shannon. Here is a link to her blog that talks a lot about what this team did while they were here. Also, here is a video:

This summer was our first summer of hosting short term teams and it went great. I am sure we messed some things up, but we have learned a lot. We feel that this summer was very beneficial to our ministry in La Fe and will help to grow it over the long term. Through the construction projects and medical clinics we were able to meet and get to know more people in La Fe than we probably would have otherwise. Thanks be to God for this!

We did not get the chance to really get to know many of the people we met this summer due to our very busy schedule. So, that is part of what we will be doing in the coming weeks and months. We have now been serving in La Fe for almost 8 months and want to 'dig deeper' with the people. Both Ashley and I are setting up one-on-one meetings with people so we can get to know them better and learn more about what the Lord is doing in their lives.

Faith Pres.

Last week a team of 14 from Faith Presbyterian Church in South Carolina came to serve in Honduras. They worked primarily in La Fe, but we able to also be a part of the other ministries of our team. This very diverse team hosted dental clinics, spent time with the people, taught sewing, did construction, and taught an English class. As they did all of those things, they pointed the people they came in contact with to Jesus Christ and shared His love.

Check out this video of their time here: http://youtu.be/c_VNjWMlK0c

Also, the team that came kept this blog - http://faithmissionshonduras.blogspot.com/ They posted their thoughts and lots of pictures!

Plans & Meetings

Yesterday we had a two hour long meeting to plan for the next three weeks. In the next three weeks, we have six groups coming to work alongside of us. Also, since our interns have left us, we all have to pick up the slack and take on a few extra responsibilities. These next few weeks are going to be busy and full.

The funny thing about planning is that no matter how hard we try, we do not know what is going to happen. Only the Lord does and it is He that is in charge. It is comforting, on one hand, to know that He is in control and is working all things out for His glory and for those who love Him. On the other hand, it is very hard to give up that sense of control and trust in Him. Also, the things we do are not important to the Lord, it is our relationship with Him that counts.

I pray that I am able to remember these things, especially in these next few weeks which will be very busy. I must remember that this life is about relationships and that my relationship with my Savior is so much more important than my busy schedule. Please pray for each member of our team here and each member of the short-term groups that we all put our relationship with our Father first and follow His leading in all we do. Pray that we can give up that sense of control and trust in Him to show us how to live and how to love.

I am glad we had our meeting yesterday (not necessarily that it was two hours long) and that our team is all on the same page about who is doing what and where we all need to be. This is a good thing. I also know that if we forget about our relationship with the Lord, all of our planning will have been for nothing.

Bye to the Interns

Our Honduras team was blessed to have 5 interns with us for the last two months. They are college kids who decided to give their summer to the Lord and to His work here in Honduras. They have been a huge blessing to us and the ministry here.

Ashley and I were especially fortunate to have two of them, Jeff & Keilah, work primarily with us in La Fe! Both Jeff and Keilah came here with Spanish skills and with hearts to share Christ. They were a big help to us in hosting the short-term teams from the States that came in June and July.

Jeff took over the running of our 'kid's club' in La Fe. For the time he was here, Jeff was in charge of planning for and leading the games and message and crafts. He did a great job by stepping out of his comfort  zone and truly showed the love of Jesus to the kids in La Fe!

Jeff (as David) taking down Goliath!

We knew Keilah before she got here (her family are missionaries with MTW). Keilah was put in charge of our ESL class and she did an awesome job! She planned the lessons and took advantage of having short-term English speakers to help the students with pronunciation.

Keilah teaching the colors in Englsih.

We are so thankful for all the interns and the time they gave to us and the Lord's ministry in La Fe! We were sad to see them go, but know the Lord will use them wherever they are!

Doctors & Dentist & Ultrasounds

Last week was a busy week. We hosted a team from Trinity Pres. in Harrisburg, PA and another from Grace Community Church in Mobile, AL. Both of these teams came with medical personnel. So, we decided to put them all together, then separate them into two other teams - a medical team and a non-medical team.

Both of the teams worked in La Fe as well as in Armenia Bonito. The week was different than all of the rest of the teams so far and required the long-term team to work together a lot to make sure everyone was where there needed to be at the right time. It was fun to switch things up a little and work in different capacities from normal. I got to translate for a doctor and help with construction in Armenia Bonito as well as be a part of the work in La Fe.

The 'big event' we had in La Fe was a medical clinic on Monday. We normally do medical clinics, but it is usually our teammate Erin who is the service provider. This past week we had 3 general doctors seeing patients as well as a dentist who pulled teeth and an ultrasound doctor. It was a huge success and a huge blessing the the people in La Fe! Together, the doctors saw over 160 patients and they all received the medicine they needed as well as prayers for their physical and spiritual health. Through this event, Ashley and I were able to meet some more of the community and share with them why we are here in Honduras.
 

The dentist numbing a patient.

She got to see her healthy baby!

The awesome docs working together.

Mary praying for Elizabet

The Waiting Room

Beach, Columns, & Flyers

This morning we said goodbye to the team from our home church, Covenant Community Church of Scottsdale, AZ. It was great to have them here alongside us this past week. The worked their butts off and had great servant hearts.

On Wednesday morning, they took 15 kids from La Fe to the beach. It was about a 15 minute ride in a bus, but only one of the kids had ever seen the ocean before. The kids absolutely loved playing in the sand and waves and of course playing with the gringos. We provided each of the children with a burrito and an apple and some water while Ashley shared the message of who Jesus is and what He did for each of us! In the afternoon, they worked around the dorm facility they stayed in and poured concrete for a patio.

Playing in the sand

La Fe kids after a morning at the beach

Thursday was a long day full of construction in the morning and handing out of flyers in the afternoon. We mixed concrete and poured the concrete into the forms for two 10 inch X 10 inch X 15 feet columns that will be used to hold the electrical lines in La Fe. Next Monday we are having a HUGE medical clinic (3 general doctors, a dentist, and and ultrasound doctor) so we had the CovCom team help us spread the word by handing out flyers to each household in La Fe. After dinner on Thursday night, we all (the long-term missionaries as well as the 2 teams of short-termers) played indoor soccer for an hour. All in all, it was a long but worthwhile day.

OSHA approved??

The construction crew

On Friday we took a 'rest day' to hike into the Honduras rainforest and take in some of the beauty of God's creation. It was a great time for Ashley and I to hang out with the member of the team.

Creation reveals His majesty

We SO enjoyed having this team here. They were an encouragement and brought us news and love from our home church body.

A taste of Arizona

Most of you know this, but for those who don't, Ashley and I lived the first four years of our marriage in the Phoenix, AZ area. Ashley had actually lived there since the summer of 2002. In all of that time, our home church there has been Covenant Community Church in Scottsdale, AZ (Cov Com).

For the fourth summer in a row, Cov Com has sent a short-term team to Honduras. Ashley and I were a part of the first team and the Lord used that trip to open my eyes to full-time ministry here in Honduras. The team arrived in La Ceiba on Sunday afternoon and have been busy ever since.

Monday morning before we went to La Fe

Yesterday was their first opportunity to visit La Fe. We hosted a medical clinic that saw 40 patients and finished the construction project our first two teams worked on in the morning. In the afternoon, some of the team helped with the last portion of the clinic while others got to visit with some of the families of La Fe. During these visits, three or four people went into a home in La Fe and talked for awhile about what life there is like. It was an eye-opening time for many that had the chance to go.

Hannah helping out at clinic

Today, the team dedicated the morning to playing with and loving on the kids of La Fe. They had some crafts to work on and taught about how Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are His hopeless sheep. In the afternoon, they started the next construction project - building columns to support the electrical lines.

Eric reading to Tito

We are so glad to be spending time with friends we have known for a long time as well as some teenagers that we didn't previously know. Both Ashley and I are thankful to be able to love the people alongside members from our home church.

It's Been Awhile

So, I haven't blogged for quite some time. I have some good excuses and some others that aren't so good. I cannot go back and write so I will give you a (short) recap of our last few weeks (They have been busy).

From June 16-23 Ashley and I visited the USA and got to spend quality time with our families. We attended a family reunion (Ashley's dad's family) for a few days and also got to see Ashley's parent's new house and spend some time with my family as well. All in all, our trip was great but short. We had a lot of fun catching up with brothers and parents and aunts and grandparents and we had the privilege to meet 3 nephews/nieces for the first time. We spent time with 35 different relatives!

1 of 3 nephews & 5 of 5 nieces

Seeing family was much needed. I know I was missing them a lot and was feeling the weight of the time apart. I am so glad the Lord gave us this opportunity. The only drawback is that know I may want to spend time with them even more that I did before we saw them. It was great to talk and laugh with our family!

When we arrived back home after this trip, we had a 14 person short term team waiting for us. So, we jumped right back into ministry and long hours. The team from Raleigh, NC was a huge help to our ministry and we are thankful they could come and love the people of La Fe last week.

That brings us to this week. It is a week in which our team has zero teams. This is a much-needed break for our team since we hosted five teams in the last four weeks. So, this week is much quieter and slower paced. We will host five more teams in the next three weeks.

We are thankful for this week of partial rest. We have much to do, but are making sure we mix in a healthy amount of rest into each day.

Home

Where is home?

I don't have an easy answer to that question. It has been on my mind lately, because we are about to travel to our home country. On Saturday, we will fly to the USA for a week. We are going to a family reunion (Ashley's) and are also going to get to spend a little time with a big portion of my family! We are very excited to see them. For most of them, it has been over a year and a half since we have seen and spent time with them.

So, back to the idea of home. Ashley and I both feel at home here in La Ceiba, Honduras. We have been here for six months and our house feels homey and the city is getting to be more and more that way as well. I think a big part of this feeling comes from our ministry in La Fe. We feel at home with the people in La Fe. We are getting to know some of them on deeper levels and building trust with them. This, brings a strong purpose to us and causes us to feel that we are exactly where the Lord wants us to be. Thus, making us feel at home.

Sometimes, when talking about where I grew up, I say "back at home" (or something like that). My parents still live in the house where I did most of my growing up, so in a way, when we go see them I am going home. I am sure that many things about this house and town will not feel like home, since it has been so long since I have been there. I also know that family and friends play a huge factor in feeling at home somewhere.

One thing I know for sure is that none of us really are home yet. We have an eternal home waiting for us that will be far greater than this world. I love that we can rest in knowing that because of the finished work of Jesus Christ we have life and we have a home with Him forever!

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you are also being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. -Ephesians 2:18-22

First Construction Project

With the coming of summer and short-term summer teams, Ashley and I decided that part of what the teams could help us do is some small construction projects. We are still in the beginning stages of building relationships with the people of La Fe and do not want to come in and 'fix' things, but we do have a desire to help the community help itself. We have talked a lot with the leadership of the community and many others that live there to find out what are some needs that we may be able to help out with while the summer teams are here. We found our first project!

We are going to (and started last week) work alongside some of the men in the community to repair and improve a walkway that is on the hillside and many people use daily. In the picture below, you can see some steps in the background. This is about what the walkway looked like a week ago. The team from Wellington Presbyterian Church helped to prepare the walkway for a concrete walkway (think sidewalk, but a little wider) and poured the concrete foundation that will help to keep the walkway from moving during the heavy rains or rainy season.

The steps in the background are dangerous, especially in the rain.

When the next team which is going to work in La Fe arrives, they will continue this project. We hope that this work will show the people of La Fe that we care about them and that we want to help them. Doing construction has already brought us into contact with some different people of the community. One of the workers even asked why the team came to work and I was able to talk with Him about Christ!

The foundation is poured and ready for the walkway!

Wellington Pres. Church

Our first team of the summer is here! They arrived on Saturday evening and have been busy ever since. This team of six adults is from Wellington Presbyterian Church in Wellington, Florida.

The team preparing for Day 1 in La Fe.

They are the first team to come and work for a week in La Fe! So far, they helped us host a clinic in which about 50 people were treated, they taught the kids in La Fe about what our true family is and who our true Father is, and they began to improve one of the walkways that many people of the community use daily.

Helping with patient intake during clinic

They have worked hard in these projects, but more importantly they have had the chance to spend special time with the people and show La Fe the love of Jesus Christ by giving them attention. We are grateful to have this team that loves working with and serving the people of La Fe!

SOCCER!

Summer Teams

On Saturday, our summer, short-term team 'season' begins. I guess that means that the last month or so has been 'preseason'. We have been working together as a team to prepare to host 16 short-term teams this summer. It is a lot of work, but it is also a huge blessing.

Three years ago, Ashley and I came here on a short-term trip. I had no idea, when I got on the plane to come, that this would eventually be my future home. I had no idea that the Lord was preparing me to become a cross-cultural missionary. He used a week long trip to show me that this was His plan for my life. All of our teammates were a part of short-term trips before they became full-time missionaries as well. We all know the huge impact these trips had on each of our lives.

Now, as we prepare, we know that these trips can impact those who come and those who are here. We are ministered to by getting to know others that have the heart of sharing Christ and we are loved on by those whom we know that come. Also, the people of La Fe are about to see more attention from those who have more physically then they do. They will also see the love of Jesus manifested in new ways! We hope and trust this summer we are able to glorify our Creator by sharing His Truth.

Please pray that Ashley and I would enjoy this busier schedule and that we would constantly put our focus on our Savior. Pray also that God would teach us how to love and be humble and be patient with those who come and with the people of La Fe and with each other. Pray that we would remember our relationships with our Lord and with each other and that we would to continue to grow closer to Jesus in all aspects of our lives.

More Soccer!

On Saturday, I got to once again take a few boys from La Fe to an indoor soccer facility to play soccer. It was a lot of fun. I asked Hector, Arlington, and Christian to go and they all had a blast!

We met up with our teammates Mike P. and John and some kids from another community, Armenia Bonito. All in all, there were 18 of us. Three teams of six. We played ten minute games, with each team taking a turn on the sideline.

Telling the kids that Jesus is the only hope there is.

After the first hour of playing, we took a break and I was able to share the Gospel with the group! It was a fun chance for me to interact with the kids in Spanish and challenge them to think about things that are more important than school and soccer. After our break, we played for another hour. The kids had so much fun. today I saw Hector in La Fe and he was still smiling ear to ear!

 At the same time as we were playing, the Final of the Champions League was being played. It was a game I had wished to watch, but instead got to hear through the cheers from the rest of the people that were watching on the tv just off the field we were playing on. Soccer is such a big deal, but we are hoping to show, through word and deed, that a relationship with Jesus Christ is more important.

Church Without Electricity

The church we have been attending in La Ceiba has its main services on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon and evening. We usually go in the afternoon on Sunday. They also have a Wednesday night service. This week we decided to go to this service especially because they were going to announce the engagement of a good friend after the service. 

It turned out to be a really neat service because the power went out just before the service started. The music part of the service is always loud with a full band and lights and everything, so this was kind of a big deal. It, however, did not stop everyone to singing to our Savior! I think it actually brought about a special time of worship that was different than normal. We sang songs with just an acoustic guitar. It was really cool to see and hear God's people sing to Him in the dark and without all the extra music. 

One of the songs was newer to me, so I did not know the words, but I was able to talk to God in my own way and listen to the sweet sound of music in a different language. Another of the songs I did know, which was fun because I could sing out as well. 

Sometimes less is more and sometimes we need to strip some things away to see what is real and true. I am so thankful we went to the service and that I was able to worship my Father in this way. The lights did come back on and we were able to see and hear normally the message and the announcement of our friend's engagement!

Truck!

Our ministry here in La Ceiba, Honduras has been richly blessed with the addition of a truck! We had funds donated to us and have found exactly what we were looking for and need for our ministry as well as daily activities!

We have been here almost 5 months and have been getting around by walking, using taxis, and bumming rides from our awesome teammates. That (for the most part) is now finished since the Lord provided us with this used Nissan pick-up that just so happens to be red - just like almost every other vehicle on our team.

We want to say a huge THANK YOU to our supporting churches that gifted us the money to be able to buy this truck. It is a huge blessing to us and will help the Lord's work in La Fe and in La Ceiba!

The new (to us) truck in its new parking spot.

Even Ritmo (our puppy) likes it!

God has provided this gift at just the right time - the first of our summer teams comes in just 4 short weeks! The truck will get quite a work-out hauling all of the short-term missionaries that will come this summer.

Recreation Time

This past week, both Ashley and I were able to get some fun, recreation time. We don't get the chance to do this too often because of our full schedule, but we feel it is important for our mental and physical health. 

On Wed. evening last week, I went to a playoff match here in La Ceiba with Ashley's brother Chris. We had taken some boys from La Fe to a game a few days earlier, but since we had to keep an eye on them we did not get a chance to actually watch a lot of soccer. So, on Wed. we realized that one of the local teams had made it into the first round of the playoffs and would be playing a night game at the stadium in La Ceiba. It was a lot of fun to get out and really be able to watch the game. It ended in a 0-0 tie (and the local team lost in the aggregate scoring 2-1). 

Vida (La Ceiba) 0 - Marathon 0

On Saturday, we decided to go relax and enjoy some of our God's creation at a river just outside of the city. We spent 2 or 3 hours swimming and enjoying the outdoors and each other. It was a good break from 'city' life and we are thankful that it is so close and easy to get to. 

Las Cascadas

Chris and I exploring the area.

Ritmo was ready to be out of the cold water.

Pool and Soccer

This past weekend both Ashley and I were able to spend some special time with a few kids from La Fe. On Saturday, Ashley took four girls (along with Erin P. and three girls from Armenia Bonito) to a local hotel to spend a few hours at the pool and/or beach and have lunch. On Sunday, I was able to attend my first professional soccer match and was able to treat three boys to this fun experience as well.

The girls enjoying the pool.

None of the girls from La Fe had ever had the chance to do something like this before. They had a blast and have already asked when they can go again. During their time, Ashley was able to present the Gospel to them and talk about who Jesus is and what He has done for us.

Ashley sharing the Gospel with the girls.

On Sunday, I got to go to my first ever professional soccer match! It was fun to finally have this experience and even more so because I was able to share it with three boys from La Fe. Arnold, Tito, and Kevin had never been to a pro game before and loved seeing the stadium and the game. After the game was over, we took them to a restaurant for dinner. They had so much fun. This was a very rare treat for them because their families are very poor and do not get the opportunity to eat outside of the house. The boys were so thoughtful of their families that they only ate part of the food and took the rest home to share with their families.

Waiting for the game to start.

It was special for both Ashley and I to spend this time with the kids. We are so glad that we were able to share something with them that they have never been able to do before.

Long Day

Yesterday, I went to San Pedro Sula to look for a car. It turned out to be more of an adventure than I was expecting. I went with a Honduras friend who has some friends in the used car industry. He asked if we could leave at 5am, so that we could get there, do some searching, and get back to La Ceiba before it was too late (San Pedro is about a 3 hour car ride from La Ceiba). Later, he called and asked if we could leave at 4:30 instead of 5. I did not realize why at the time, but it was because he heard that there was going to be a political rally that would block the main road between La Ceiba and San Pedro.

He was right, as we got just past a main bridge just outside of San Pedro, we saw a large crowd of some 600 protestors headed toward the bridge to 'take it over' in order to make a statement to the government. If we would have left five minutes later, we would not have been able to cross the bridge and get to San Pedro.

The looking for a car was the easy part of the day. I think we found the one we are going to get! After we finished our car shopping, we knew we had some time to kill, so we went to the mall for some coffee and just hung out. It was a great opportunity for me to share with a man I just met why I am here in Honduras and what the Lord is doing in and through me to help the people here.

We heard the protestors were going to 'give the bridge back' around 2pm, so we decided to get back to our car and get on the road so that we could get home before too long. Well, turns out my friend's car battery died and as we were checking out that problem, he locked his keys in the car. So, we got all those things taken care of and decided to head home with a dead battery. In order to do this, we figured it best to not use lights and/or air conditioning and/or the radio.

It turns out we could have waited longer to leave, because we ended up sitting on the freeway (no a/c or radio) for about 2 hours waiting to cross the bridge, then had lots of traffic the whole way home. We got home at about 8pm. So, it ended up being a 16 hour day in which I was not able to do too much.

Some good things:
1. I think we found our future car.
2. I got to talk with these guys a lot. (This was also tiring since I did not speak to anyone in English, except ashley on the phone, all day.)
3. I got to experience new things in Honduras.

All in all, it was a good day, but it was a long day. I am still a little tired today, but thankfully I have some time this weekend in which I can rest.

If you are interested, here is a news article (in Spanish) about the 'taking of the bridge' - http://www.laprensa.hn/Secciones-Principales/Honduras/Valle-de-Sula/Campesinos-se-toman-carretera-de-La-Lima-a-El-Progreso

Door Number Two?

This week we had what, at the time, felt like a step backwards. Really, it was just God showing us that He is in control and that, try as we might, we cannot plan ahead of his schedule. Our teammate, John, and I went to La Fe to meet with the president of the community, Antonio, to talk more about possible plans for a church building. We also planned to measure the site on which Antonio wants to put the church.

As we found out, in a not so comfortable way, not all of the community is 'on board' with placing a church and school in the location where Antonio wants it. The site he has in mind is the current soccer field for the community. As soccer is such a huge part of life here, especially with the kids, many of the people do not want to take away this area that gets daily usage by the kids. It really doesn't matter to us what the specifics are about the disagreement, but we know that we will not get in the middle of it.

So, we had to apologize to some people for infringing on their field in this way and tell Antonio that he needs to have unity in the community before we will help build anything. This was a little discouraging at first because I had felt that the Lord was opening the door for this building and possible church plant to happen... I had already begun to get excited about the idea and the new ministry opportunities it would bring. Later, as Ashley and I 'debriefed', we were able to tell each other the truths about our Savior that we know - that He has a plan and that He is in control and the He loves us and the people of La Fe.

We do not know when or where (or if) we will be constructing a building to be used as the home of a church, but we do know that we will continue to share the love of God in word and deed with La Fe. Please continue to pray that our Father will give us the wisdom on how to move forward with our work in La Fe. Also, please pray that the Lord make completely clear what He wants for the short-term teams to be a part of as well this summer when they are here.

Moving Forward

A few weeks ago I was talking with the 'president' of La Fe and he asked me if we could build a building for a church for the community. I know he asked for this in part because he knows we are funded through churches and that we want to start a church, but he still asked. In the moment, I was not too excited or interested, because we are being deliberate about not just giving 'stuff' without really thinking about it and about the long-term implications on our ministry. However, when I got home and talked with Ashley and talked with my team leader and thought and prayed about it, it seemed that may be the Lord's way of opening the door to beginning a church in the community. After all, that is why we are here.

We know that a church is not a building. We know that constructing a building is not planting a church. We also know that if we can build a building and if we can find a Honduras pastor to preach and teach the Gospel and love the people of La Fe, we can have the beginning of a church plant. Even if this happens, we will still have a long way to go to have a thriving church that is impacting the community and sharing the Gospel with other communities.

I want to ask you all to pray. Please pray that the Lord would make it clear to Ashley and me that He wants us to move forward in construction and in searching for a pastor.

This is especially exciting timing, because we have our first (of 8) summer teams coming to serve with us in La Fe in just seven short weeks. This construction project could be part of what these teams do in their time here in Honduras.

Homesick

You can probably guess how I am feeling based on the title of this post. I think homesickness is a funny thing. Some days I really do miss people, things, places, and the feelings of where we used to live. Then there are other days that, because we do feel so at home here in Honduras, I hardly think about those things or realize that they are not here with me.

So, I am not sure why I am feeling, today, the way I am but here are some thoughts:

It is a holiday week. Family always seems to feel further away in those times when we 'should' be together.
It has been a slow week and a half of ministry. We went to Guatemala last weekend, which was a great trip, but we did not do a whole lot. Then, when we got back we were smack dab into the middle of Semana Santa (Holy Week) which is a huge deal here. Government stuff is shut down and for many others it is vacation time. Most all of those Hondurans who are taking off come to La Ceiba to go to the beach and party. So, we have not been to busy with ministry due to the other things going on around us.
Satan wants to take my thoughts off of the great blessings I have (life and a right relationship with God because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for one) and put them onto the things that I do not have (family close-by for one).
I have been planning our trip to the USA in June. In planning our trip, I am realizing that we will get to spend a lot of time with family, most of whom we have not seen in almost a year and a half. Today I am just thinking about the fact that it is almost three months until we get to make the trip.

Whatever the reason is, I know that I have SO much to be content with and to celebrate, especially this weekend. I know these feelings will come and go, but the love of Christ does not!

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Guatemala

Ashley and I are currently in Guatemala City. We had to leave Honduras because we only have tourist visas that last 90 days. So, every 3 months we have to leave Honduras for at least 72 hours so that when we re-enter we are able to obtain a new 90 day visa. This time we chose to come to Guatemala by bus because it was our cheapest option.

On Thursday, we left our house at 4:45am to catch the 5:15am bus from La Ceiba to San Pedro Sula. Then it was a bus from San Pedro to the Copan Ruins (about 15 minutes from the Honduras-Guatemala border). After the short stop there we crossed the border (first time for me to be in Guatemala!) and rode another four hours to Guatemala City. All in all it was a 15 hour trip from our house to our hotel. Long day.

We were able to meet up with some friends of ours from our time in language school on Saturday and visit the beautiful city of Antigua.

Our time so far in Guatemala has been great and tomorrow we will make the long bus ride back to our home in La Ceiba, hopefully with new visas.

Pictures!

I am pretty tired and my brain does not want to think too much, so I am not going to write too much on this post. Mostly pictures for your viewing pleasure!

I got to read about a caterpillar who was hungry.

All the kids LOVE Ashley!

Have you ever done the picture where everyone jumps up? We tried that today with the kids and they had a blast. Who do you think can jump on cue better?

The boys?

or the girls?

Every Tuesday we spend a few hours loving specifically the kids in La Fe. We enjoy it so much. For now there is not too much structure, but we are showing the kids positive attention and they are smiling and laughing more! We read fun kid's books and also have been reading out of the Jesus Story Book Bible. 

Giovanni got a Bible

A few weeks ago, during one of our medical clinics, a man asked if he could have a Bible. This was a little surprising, but exciting. We did not have any Bibles with us, but I told him that, yes, I would get one for him. 

Finally, last Monday, I took him the Bible. It was a paperback Bible that we can get here from the Bible Society in town for only a few dollars. He was so excited to receive it! He had his wife get his old Bible and he showed me how worn and used it was and he was very happy that the new one was the same version as the old one. 

I was able to sit and talk with Giovanni for about an hour about his life and family and about the Bible and who Jesus is. In our conversation, the Lord brought to my thoughts the things I had read in His Word that morning and I was able to share them with Giovanni. I know my Spanish was not perfect and that I may have even said things that were incorrect, but I praise the Lord that it is God's Spirit who does the real work and that the condition of Giovanni's heart is not dependent on me. 

Giovanni and his family live in this house.

I do not know if Giovanni has a personal relationship with our Savior, but he now has a new copy of God's Word which has the power to draw him to our Lord. Please pray that he and his family would read the Bible and that they would trust in Jesus as their personal Savior.